Alex Iwobi Scores, Helps Arsenal To Bully Burnley To Submission In Wenger’s Farewell Match At The Emirates
Arsenal gave Arsene Wenger a memorable Emirates farewell as his team humiliated visiting Burnley 5-0 at the Emirate stadium on Sunday. The Gunners were way too strong and classy for a Burnley side who had the intent of spoiling Wenger’s final home game in charge at the Emirate stadium.
Arsenal in the past had found Burnley a very hard nut to crack, however on Sunday the story was different as the Gunner’s ran out with a comfortable 5-0 victors as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang grabbed a brace, with Alexandre Lacazette, Sead Kolasinac and Alex Iwobi also scored to help Arsenal bully Burnley to total submission.
You May Also Read: Chelsea Win Throws Open Battle For Top-Four And Champions League Football Next Season
Arsenal has endured a torrid campaign this season and the mere fact the club is battling with Burnley for the sixth position in the Premier League and have no chance of silverware in Arsene Wenger’s final campaign is clearly one of the reasons why a new coach should be at the helm of affairs next season.
Mesut Ozil did not play due to a back injury, but the absence of the German was hardly felt as the players on parade delivered a master class performance to give coach Arsene Wenger a memorable farewell match at the Emirates.
Arsenal started the match like a house on fire by dominating play and creating decent goal scoring chances, Mkhitaryan fired just over the crossbar having been picked out by Lacazette before the former Manchester United man saw an effort deflected off Stephen Ward and saved by the legs of Burnley’s goalkeeper Nick Pope.
Arsenal opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang through an assist by his strike partner Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal’s second goal came in first-half stoppage time as Iwobi fed Hector Bellerin, whose cutback was perfect for Lacazette to sweep past Nick Pope in goal for Burnley.
At the start of the second period, Burnley forced Petr Cech into his first meaningful save as Sam Vokes, on for the injured Barnes, headed straight at the Arsenal keeper.
The Gunners continued to dominate the game in the second stanza and it was no surprise that they extended their lead as Jack Wilshere, whose own Arsenal future remains uncertain, rolled a pass into the path of Kolasinac for the full-back to rifle home the fifth goal of his debut season at the Emirates.
Wenger’s men scored a fourth as Nigerian international Alex Iwobi started and finished a slick move by thrashing in from 12 yards. Arsenal completed the rout in the 75th minute as Gabonese international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored Arsenal’s fifth of the match.
Arsene Wenger introduced the German defender Per Mertesacker in the closing stages, the 33-year-old played his last match at the Emirates as he is quitting football at the end of the season to take up to take up a role in the youth-team set-up within the club.
Danny Welbeck who replaced Alexandre Lacazette in the 72nd minute rattled the frame of the goal in the dying moments, with chants of “There’s only one Arsene Wenger” filling the stadium as the full-time whistle blew.
